United States
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A major new textbook, written to guide and inform undergraduates and Masters students through their studies in plant science. In the course of nine chapters, a comprehensive picture is built of plant evolution, their molecular and cellular biology, their metabolism, and their interaction with the environment and other species. Produced in full colour, and with over 1,000 illustrations, the book has been written by some of the world's leading experts in plant science.
The book is divided into nine chapters, giving readers a straightforward route into the intricacies of plant biology. The opening chapter charts the evolution of plant life, from the marine origins of photosynthesis to the modern diversity of flowering plants. This provides a staged introduction to the basics of plant biochemistry and morphology. The next two chapters provide a dynamic view of the plant genome and of the cellular biology of plants. Chapter 4 gives an engaging and integrated picture of plant metabolism while chapter 5 guides the reader through the fast moving field of plant development.
In the second half, the book tackles plants' interaction with the outside world: first with the environment, then with other organisms. Chapter 6 describes how a plant's growth and life cycle is regulated by environmental signals. This is followed by chapter 7 which describes how plants respond to stress and extreme environmental conditions. Plant interactions with other organisms, both pathogens and symbionts, are covered in Chapter 8. Chapter 9 rounds the book off with an overview of human domestication of plants and modern plant biotechnology.Plant science has never been more important. The increasing pressure on world agriculture and wild plant resources to provide food, fuel, raw materials, and medicines for an expanding population demands a more thorough and well rounded understanding of plants. This book provides a comprehensive and highly readable account of modern plant science that will inform and enthuse not only the next generation of plants scientists but also any reader with an interest in this vital field of study.
